This invention relates to a coupler for an appliance hose, and particularly to a coupler which is used to connect an appliance hose to the spout of a sink faucet. Such a coupler is sometimes used to connect the water hose inlet of a dishwasher to the spout of a faucet in a kitchen sink.
An example of a typical prior art coupler is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,575. This patent discloses a coupler body having an inlet opening adapted to telescopically fit over the spout of a kitchen sink faucet. A locking sleeve or retaining collar is vertically slidable on the outside of the body to a hold position wherein the locking sleeve engages and moves locking studs into retentive engagement with the spout of the faucet. The sleeve or collar is movable away from the hold position to a release position to permit the studs to move out of retentive engagement with the faucet and thereby permit the removal of the coupler from the faucet.
Considerable difficulty is encountered in trying to mount these prior coupling devices to the faucet spout, particularly if the operator has only one hand free to accomplish the coupling process. Most prior art devices require both hands to accomplish the locking process, with one hand being used to hold the coupler body and with the other hand being used to slide the locking sleeve between its hold and release positions.
An example of a prior art hose coupler for a dishwasher is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,323. This patent shows a pivoted operating lever which is not integral with the coupling sleeve. It pivots to cause movement of a pressure relief mechanism before axial movement of the coupling sleeve to its release position. Other examples of separate pivoting levers are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,788,347 and 3,593,743.
Another disadvantage of prior devices is the difficulty with which the sleeve sometimes moves between its hold and release positions. Normally the sleeve is urged toward its hold position by a spring. When pressure is applied downwardly on the sleeve to move it away from its hold position, the sleeve sometimes becomes misaligned on the coupler body and binds, thereby making the sliding movement difficult. Such binding also sometimes occurs when the sleeve is urged from its released position back to its hold position by the spring, and the binding can sometimes result in unsatisfactory coupling of the coupler to the faucet spout.